Not What I Wanted to Hear
by wildthing0088
Summary: After a cold night, The Dukes are faced with a tough day. And YES, things can get worse. Rated T to be safe. CHAPTER 5 UP!
1. Chapter 1

_Ok, Ok I KNOW I been a bad girl with "Tennessee Volunteers", but that one's runnin' low on gas and with the prices these days, I'm leavin 'er be. For now. New story I wrote at camp, itty-bitty chaps cuz I got a itty-bitty attention span. Story goes fast, started it after a tough day, a silent dinner, and freezing my butt off one night. (Note: Named after a Terri Clark song. Has nothing to do with the song.) Enjoy! (Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dukes. Dammit.)Wildthing_

88888888

**Not What I Wanted to Hear**

Bo awoke to a chilly January morning. He nestled himself deeper into his pillow, and pulled his head under the warm blankets. He should probably get up to start the chores, but it was too dang cold. This month was one of the coldest Hazzard'd seen in a long time, according to Uncle Jesse. Bo glanced over at Luke's bed, only to see his cousin sound asleep underneath his extra quilt. That was weird; Bo almost never awoke before Luke. Must've been the cold. Luke had been living here in Hazzard since the age of three, ever since his parents were killed in a shine running. Luke was five when Aunt Martha adopted cousin Daisy after her parents died in a storm. Only a year younger than Luke, Daisy was one of those pretty girls that could go out dancin' on a date and then fix the car when it broke down on the way home. Bo was also three when he joined the family, when Luke was six and Daisy was five. Aunt Martha was afraid Luke would spend his time with the bullies, pickin' on poor Enos Strate at school, so she made the boy take Bo with him when he went out fishin'. Now, the two were inseparable.

"**BOYS!**" Uncle Jesse's yell caused Bo to jump. He sat up in bed. The floorboards in front of their door creaked; Uncle Jesse was walking to their room. The door opened. "Luke, Bo, get up!" Uncle Jesse yelled, wearing his jacket. Luke yawned and sat up.

"Wha's'matter, Uncle Jesse?" He asked.

"Daisy's missin'." Bo and Luke exchanged glances, then jumped out of bed.

"Whadd'ya mean, 'She's missin'?' " Bo asked.

"She ain' here at the house. Her dinner's untouched, an' Dixie ain' here." Uncle Jesse said quickly. "Now the two of ya get dressed an' get out there. I'm gonna CB Enos an Cooter, see if they can help."

"Yes sir." Luke said for the two cousins, and they both rushed to get dressed.

88888888

Jesse rushed over to the CB. It got below freezing last night, and Daisy could be anywhere. He'd never truly loved the fact that his niece worked the closing shift at the Boar's Nest, but the money she made helped with the farm, and got her a little something extra.

"This here's Jesse Duke callin' out to Enos Strate, Enos and Cooter, Y'all out there?" He waited anxiously, hoping for a response. The more people out looking, the better chance they'd have of finding Daisy.

"This is Jesse Duke callin' out t' Enos an' Cooter, y'all come back."

_"Breaker one, breaker one, crazy Cooter here, Uncle Jesse."_

_"I'm here too, Uncle Jesse. Is there somethin' wrong?"_ Both of them sounded tired, but at least they were there.

"Have either of y'all seen Daisy?" Better to find out if she was with them before getting all worked up.

_"Ain' seen her at all."_

_"Saw her last ni' at the Boar's Nest, but I left kinda early."_ Oh, damn.

"She ain' here at the farm. Now Bo an' Luke are getting' up t' head out, but d' y'all think y' can go out and try t' find her?"

"_Sure thing, Uncle Jesse. I'll head out on 421."_

"Cooter, fer the last time, I ain' yer Uncle Jesse!"

_"Uh, sorry, Unc- I mean Mr. Jesse, sir."_

_"Uncle Jesse, I'm gonna head out t' the Boar's Nest_."

"Y'all do that, Enos. I'll send the boys out t' join ya."

_"Yessir, I'm gone."_ Jesse put down the CB and turned to yell to the boys to get out there, when the two of them showed up, donning thick winter jackets.

"Cooter's headin' out on 421, and Enos is headin' out to the Boar's Nest"

"Yeah, We'll head t' town in the General." Luke said.

"Why don' you say here, Uncle Jesse, in case she gets back?" Bo asked.

"Think I mi'." Jesse watched his two nephews each gulp a cup of coffee each, and head out the door. "Y'all stay close on the CB, y' hear!"

A Dixie horn was the reply.

88888888

Enos pulled up to the Boar's nest in his patrol car. He sat for a few seconds, enjoying the heat, then opened the door. The bitter wind made him almost jump back into his warm car, but it was his duty as deputy to help those in need. Daisy's white jeep was still parked outside. He peeked in, wondering maybe if she was in there. Her winter jacket lay on the driver's seat; she took it off before heading in to work. He slowly picked it up and put it over one arm. He turned and walked up to the building, noting that something was different about its appearance.

He then realized that the front door had been ripped off his hinges.

"Must've been one bad fight." He whispered to himself.

He stepped over the broken glass and looked into the main room. Busted tables and chairs were scattered all over the place, shattered beer glasses and Boss Hogg's watered- down beer, half- frozen, coated the floor. Enos stared at the destruction, his breath a white mist in front of him.

"Daisy?" He whispered.

Nothing.

"Daisy!" He yelled a bit louder.

Still nothing.

He tentatively stepped around the piles of debris, looking around. Normally, this bar was filled with voices and jukebox music, and fights were short and simple. Now, most of the tables and chairs had been thrown in various corners, one table was even up on the bar. He walked a little further, the stench of beer, cigarette smoke, and ice filling the room. He gently kicked away a tablecloth underneath one pile.

A tanned, callused hand lay underneath it.

88888888

Bo pulled the General to a stop in front of the courthouse in town. Both cousins shivered and climbed out.

"Where d' y' suppose we should start?" Bo asked. Luke thought a moment.

"Figure we'll ask around the diner a bit. Maybe go see Miz Tizdale at the post office." He paused. "I swear, if anything's happened to her…"

"Neither of us is gonna forgive ourselves." Bo finished the sentence for him. Luke gave a solemn nod, and the two rushed to the diner.

The scent of warm coffee filled their nostrils when they went in, only Kaylie Sue was there, checking on the coffee pots to make sure they were still on. She smiled when she saw the boys.

"Hey Bo, Hey Luke." She had dated both boys at one point or another, and new them fairly well. "What can I get for y'all?"

"Hey, Kaylie Sue," Bo began, "You seen Daisy anywhere?"

Kaylie Sue gave them a puzzled expression. "Nope, sorry fellas, ain' seen her at all." She poured herself a cup of coffee. "What's the matter? Y'all send her packin' again?"

"No, she ain' mad at us." Bo replied quickly. "She ain at the house." Kaylie's eyebrows shot up.

"Didn't come home last night from work." Luke told her.

Kaylie nodded, silent. She looked up at them.

"I'll keep an eye out for her. Did y'all check any of the hotels? Lord knows someone might've been able to-"

"We didn't think a' that." Luke said quickly. "We'll check 'em out. See ya 'round. Kaylie Sue."

"D' y' really think someone would do that to Daisy?" Bo asked, once they got to the sidewalk.

"Dunno. Seems whoever woulda done it would've gotten hell from her without makin' it outside." Luke replied. Bo laughed. Daisy was one tough fighter.

Luke and Bo exchanged glances. "But just in case..." Luke began, and they both jogged to the Hazzard Hotel.

88888888

Eno's heart rate soared as he threw splintered remains of tables and chairs aside, hell-bent on uncovering what was attached to the hand. He tossed one last table aside, and yanked off the red checked tablecloth.

Like some magician's act, Daisy Duke lay in front of him.

Eno's eyes widened as he surveyed her appearance. She was covered in bruises, including one dark back eye. Her neck was bruised Technicolor blues, purples, and blacks. Her left leg was bent in an unnatural angle just below the knee. He bent down to her and gently brushed her hair away from her face. Several strands stuck to the dried blood on her forehead, and her skin was cool to the touch.

She had been laying here all night.

Unsure, Enos took off his jacket and gently laid it over her chest to warm her up. The cold shocked him, but there was no time to shiver. He had to wake Daisy up. He put two fingers just below her jaw, desperate for a pulse. It was slow and dim, but it was there.

She was alive.

"Daisy?" He asked, trying to wake her up.

She was unresponsive.

"Daisy!" He yelled.

She didn't move.

He grabbed her hand, and gave it a tight squeeze. "C'mon, Daisy, girl, wake up." Then, remembering what his momma always told him, he added a "Please?"

She remained motionless.

Even good manners didn't work.

He rubbed her hand.

No response.

"Daisy, I'm beggin' y'all… Please wake up, sugar."

Nothing.

He gave her hand one final squeeze.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Hey, Daisy, girl." He began. Her eyes widened, but settled on him. Goosebumps instantaneously prickled across her skin. She opened her mouth to speak, and nothing came out. She tried again, but was still silent. "Shhhhhh… Calm down," He told her. "I'm gonna go an' CB Bo and Luke to tell them y'all's here, okay?" Daisy's eyes lit up at the mention of her cousins. Enos stood up and rushed over to the CB.

"This here's Enos callin' out ta Bo and Luke, y'all out there?"

Silence. He tried again.

"This here's Enos callin' Bo an' Luke, y'all gotta come in!"

He looked down at the machine to see if it was on the right channel. The cord had been snapped. He ran back to Daisy.

"The CB in here's broken, Daisy. I'm gonna have to take y'all out to my patrol car an' call from there." She nodded slightly.

He bent down and gradually slid his arms underneath her, and gently stood up, holding her tight to his chest. She winced as she was moved.

"S' alright, Daisy, y'all gonna be okay." He told her, and slowly carried her out to his car. He bent and opened the back door, and gingerly laid her down on the seat.

The car was just a tad warmer than outside, and Enos quickly sat in the driver's seat and turned the key so the heater would start. He glanced back at Daisy, whose eyes met his. She smiled.

"Y'all gonna be okay, Daisy." He picked up his CB.

"This here's Enos callin' out to Bo and Luke, y'all come back."

88888888

_Will add more, need diet Mountain Dew and some TC on CMT._


	2. Chapter 2

_Summertime is finally here! I'll try to update every day, here's the 2nd chappie! Enjoy! Wildthing_

88888888

Bo and Luke both jogged out of the hotel after finding nothing.

"Luke, " Bo began, "I really am worried 'bout 'er. What if she's-" Luke turned sharply to him.

"She ain't. Don' think like that."

"Y'all sound like Uncle Jesse." Luke laughed.

"Whaddya think he told me every time y'all came home from dates late? Especially after what Paula Ann's daddy did to the pickup."

"Well if she hadn'-"

"_This here's Enos callin' out to Bo and Luke, y'all come back." _Luke snatched up the CB.

"Luke here, Enos, what ch' ya got?"

"_I found Daisy over here at the Boar's Nest-"_ Bo whooped. _"- But it ain' real pretty. Fellas, she's been tryin' to talk and nuthin's comin' out. Think she's got a busted leg, too. Y'all better get over here."_

Luke stared over at Bo. "Well, what 'r we waitin' for?" Bo asked quickly, and jumped into the General.

"Hey, Stop! Y'all get back here!"

Both boys turned to the hotel to see a man wearing a thick flannel jacket and a mask tearing away from the hotel, clutching a sack to his chest. Johnny, the man who worked the front desk, ran out after him.

"Y'all get back here, you jackass!"

The man in the flannel leaped over the fence in the square, headed for the courthouse. He ran behind the building, and was lost in the bushes.

"Stop!" Johnny yelled again. Luke slid into the General, and they took off for the road behind the courthouse.

"Lost Sheep to Shepard, y'all there?" He called.

"_I'm here boys, an I got Eno's message. I'm on my way out."_

"We're gonna be a bit late- someone just robbed the Hazzard Hotel."

"_Don't get too involved, an' don't get hurt. Get over here when y' can."_

"Yessir." Luke put the CB down while Bo tore around the corner.

"D' y'all think Rosco's up yet?" He asked.

A police siren wailed behind them.

"Well, whad' ya think?" Luke asked.

Bo floored the gas.

88888888

Jesse pulled his pickup to a stop by the idle squad car. He quickly got out and rushed to the back window. Enos climbed out.

"How she doin'?" Jesse asked.

"She's been tryin' to talk, Uncle Jesse, and nuthin's comin out." Jesse opened the door. "I wiped off the dried blood on her forehead."

"Hey, Daisy, baby. " He told her in a soft voice, stroking her cheek. She grinned up at him, then winced.

_Bo and Luke? _She mouthed

"They're gonna be a little late. Got held up in town." She gave him a slight nod. He gently caressed the line of dried blood on her forehead. "Y'all remember what happened last night?"

_Bad fight._ She mouthed. Jesse nodded, his eyes tracing the bruises on her neck.

"Y'all gonna be alright. Enos an' I 'll take ya to Doc, an' I'll tell Bo an' Luke to meet us there."

She gave another slight nod.

He kissed her cheek. "I'll be ridin' with ya." He turned to Enos. "We'll meet Bo an Luke at Tri- County. I'm ridin' with y'all."

"Yessir." Enos said, and slid into the driver's seat. Jesse sat himself in the back, and gently lifted Daisy's head into his lap.

"Y'all gonna be alright, baby." He told her again. Her hand found his, and gave it a squeeze.

88888888

Rosco continued to hang just off the General's tail. Bo whipped around another corner, and Rosco followed.

"Any sign of that feller in the jacket, Luke?"

"Nah. But I don't see where the heck he coulda gone."

"Rosco's gonna try to pin us, right?"

"Nobody else is out, are they?"

"Why we runnin?"

"Huh?"

"He ain' go no evidence, right?"

"No, no he don't." Luke said in realization. "Stop the car."

Bo pulled the General to a stop. Rosco slid to a stop, flying past them and into a lamppost.

Both boys laughed as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane and Flash the hound dog both got out of the car, Rosco ranting n and on about his front bumper. He walked over to the General.

"All right, you Dukes!" He yelled, "Outta the car." Bo and Luke exchanged glances, and slid out of the general.

"Rosco, y'all know we didn't do nuthin'." Bo said.

"Y'all call robbin' the Hazzard Hotel nuthin'?" Rosco snapped back.

88888888

Jimmie yanked off the mask as he entered the courthouse. Jeff met him in the lobby.

"Y'all got the money?" Jeff asked.

"No, I've got the Hazzard phone book stuck under my jacket, asshole."

"But I thought y'all went in to get the money."

"I DID, you imbecile."

"Oh, okay."

"Now, c'mon, Let's go see the boss." The duo entered an office.

"Boys, boys," J. D. Hogg began when the two entered, "I hope last night went well…"

"Yeah, yeah we trashed the place." Jimmie began.

"Gonna get a good insurance payoff, right?" Boss asked, nodded.

"Yep. And we get forty percent." Jeff said.

"Thirty." Boss snapped.

"Thirty- five." Jimmie snapped back.

"Done." Boss replied. Now, was anybody hurt? If anyone's hurt, I'm gonna have to split the payoff with 'em. "

"Nah, we pretty much trashed the place ourselves," Jimmie said. "The barmaid got a little too involved."

"Daisy Duke! Boss yelled. "Oh, lord, them Dukes …" Boss shook his head.

"I threw a table on 'er an' she wasn' any problem after that." Jeff said.

"You THREW A TABLE ON HER!" Boss yelled. "I specifically told ya to NOT GET NO ONE HURT!"

"Yeah but-"

"NO BUTS!"

"Well, we got ourselves some cash to get outta here, y'all know where to call us in Atlanta." Boss turned.

"Where did you get the cash to get out of here?"

"Just robbed the Hazzard Hotel." Jeff said.

"YOU IDIOTS!" Boss yelled. "DO you realize just how much trouble y'all 've gotten yourselves into?"

"Well, there was that orange stock car that peeled around after I ran off."

Boss whirled back around. "Did you say orange stock car… with an '01' on the side and a confederate flag on the roof?"

"Yeah… two hicks, but I only saw one when I ran out." Boss grinned.

"The Duke boys! We got 'em, we got 'em!"

88888888

"Rocso, we didn't rob no hotel." Luke said.

"I got me a witness! Johnny said that he saw a feller in a jacket and a mask run out and behind the courthouse. Then he saw Luke climb into the General Lee and peel off behind the courthouse. Now I'm standin' behind the courthouse an' I see two Dukes. Now y'all's are under arrest."

"Rosco, where d'y think we'd put the mask?" Bo asked.

"And the money." Luke said.

"In the General Lee, a course."

"Why do y' think we'd a stopped when y'all started chasin' us?" Rosco had to think a moment.

"T' throw me off. Now c'mon, y'all's comin' with me."

88888888


	3. Chapter 3

_He…he, missed a day. Had to mow the lawn. Shoot me. Oh yeah, I did a little research on vocal cord damage to get it right. Short chappie 'cuz a volleyball, will update more soon- Wildthing _

88888888

"How is she, Doc?" Jesse asked. He and Enos had already spent an hour in the waiting room when Doc Petticort walked in. The doctor sighed.

"Her leg's broken, an' one of her wrists I've bandaged up. Looked a lil' swollen. Minor concussion as well. But she'll make it." Jesse silently whispered a thank-you to the lord. Doc took off his glasses. "However, I got some bad news for ya, Jesse." Jesse and Enos stared. "' Pears t' me like she mighta been strangled… an' the pressure on her throat caused some damn near serious damage to her vocal cords. Damn bad case a' vocal cord paresis. S' when both of em are paralyzed. I'm sorry, but she's mute. Ain' nuthin we c'n do."

Jesse bowed his head.

"However, Jesse, she's damn lucky. They're permanently open so her breathin's fine. She jus' can't move 'em. Ain' no surgery can fix it."

"Thank ye, Doc, fer tryin'." Enos's head was bowed as well. "Can we see her?" Doc Petticort nodded.

"She still might be sleepin', we gave her some pain pills." Jesse nodded and turned to Enos.

"Enos, I wanna thank you fer helpin' me find Daisy."

"Ain' no problem, Uncle Jesse. It's only my job." He paused. "I was wonderin'…uh… if – well – if I could go up wi' y'all to see 'er, uh…"

"A' course, Enos."

88888888

"Alright, now get in." Rosco said. Bo and Luke both exchanged looks then walked into the first downstairs cell. Rosco laughed as he locked the door, and continued to giggle as he headed up the stairs.

"Now what?" Bo asked. Luke stared.

"I ain' sure Bo. Uncle Jesse 'll be damn near terrified if he can't get a hold a' us. But if Enos don' show up fer work soon, then Rosco'll start callin' 'im."

"And knowin' Enos…" Bo began.

"…He'll be able to tell us 'bout Daisy."

Both cousins stood in silence for a while.

"Luke? D'y' think Daisy'll be okay?"

"Enos said she was alive, an' knowin' Daisy, she'll stay that way. To tell ya the truth, I ain' feelin' too god 'bout not headin' out there last night."

"Luke, y' know it ain't our fault."

"It's our fault she started workin' there in the firs' place."

"Luke, tha' was more n' eight years ago. Knowin' Daisy, she'll tell us who done it an we c'n take care a ' him."

"Or what's left after she's done with 'im."

They both laughed.

88888888

"Daisy?"

The quiet voice pulled her into darkness. A warm sensation on her hand: someone was giving it a squeeze.

"Daisy?"

She struggled to pull out of the abyss- _Have to see Enos… Uncle Jesse._ She heaved her eyelids open.

"Hey, baby." Uncle Jesse. Her vision was fuzzy, but after a few blinks, she focused in on him. He smiled down on her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled up at him, then scanned the area. She was in a pale hospital room, her leg up in a white cast in front of her, and a tan bandage wrapped around her wrist. Enos stood on her other side.

"Hiya, Daisy." He told her with a little wave.

She smiled up at him, then opened her mouth to ask where was Bo and Luke were. Nothing came out. She tried again.

"Daisy, honey.." Uncle Jesse began, "Enos an' I just talked with doc, an', well…" This was very, very bad. Uncle Jesse was never this hesitant. "Well, it seems that yer mute..."

Mute? Her eyes widened. No, this couldn't be. She couldn't talk. Her eyes began to water, and a few tears spilled out. How would she be able work without being able to talk? Uncle Jesse wiped them away.

"You're gonna be alright, baby, just relax…" Daisy sniffled, and regained her composure.

_Bo and Luke?_ She mouthed.

"They ain' here yet Daisy. They was in town when Enos CB 'd 'em." Oh yeah, Enos woke her up in the Boar's Nest. The fight last night. That damn jackass… oh lord, what the hell was his name?…

"Daisy, what's the matter, honey?" Her eyes met Enos's. She shook her head, then yawned.

"Doctor says you gotta stay a few nights, but if you're doing well, you could go home earlier than tha'."

She grinned, then squeezed her Uncle's hand.

A nurse wearing a white shirt and jeans walked in. "Oh, excellent, she's awake." She smiled. "Hey, honey, I'm Jamie Rae. Doc asked me to give y'all a hand." Her Tennesseean drawl perfectly matched her beat up jeans. Daisy smiled up at her.

"S'cuse me m'am, but a hand wi' what?" Enos asked. Jamie Rae smiled.

"Doc told me 'bout what happened t' y'all. Now, 'fore yer gonna be let outta here, you're gonna have to be able to "talk" in some way. I figure I can teach y'all some sign language."

"Sign Language?" Enos asked. "But she ain' deaf!"

"Easiest way for Daisy to communicate, Deputy."

Uncle Jesse looked down at Daisy, whose mind was racing. _Sign Language?_ Heck, that might work.

Daisy nodded. "Alright Daisy, honey, we'll start whenever you're ready."

"Now, are we gonna have to learn it too?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"You're going to want to learn it along with her. Obviously, I ain' gonna be teachin' her everthin' in one day. Y'all's have t' come back ever' now an' then for an hour or two of lessons. If the whole family wants t' come, they're more n' welcome." Uncle Jesse nodded.

"Why thank ye, M'am."

"S' only my job. Mr. Duke, I presume?"

"Yes M'am. I'm Daisy's uncle." Jamie Rae nodded.

"Daisy, you feelin' up t' startin' right now?" she asked.

Daisy nodded.

"Well, then…"

88888888

"ENOS! You dipstick!" Rosco yelled into the CB. "Come back!"

Still silence.

"ENOS!" Rosco yelled again.

"ROSCO!" Boss yelled. "YOU QUIT YELLIN'!"

Flash barked.

"I know, I know darlin', but I can't find Enos on the CB nowhere. Hope that dang dipstick's okay."

88888888


	4. Chapter 4

_Ok, ok, won't update this weekend. But I will update on Monday… if don't, y'all got permission to send me PM with an enclosed cattle prod. (and/or a therapist- muhahha ha ha ha !) Thanks to everyone for their reviews, they make me happy! Wildthing_

88888888

"Luke, how we gonna get outta here?" Bo asked. Luke continued to pace the cell.

"ENOS!" Rosco's yell echoed down from upstairs.

"Sounds to me like Rosco's lookin' over every CB channel for Enos."

"Bingo." Luke said.

"What ch' ya got?"

"Enos's with Daisy and Uncle Jesse, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Rosco don't know that, now does he?"

"No, no I reckon, he don't." Bo said with a smile.

"Good. Y'all know what to do. ROSCO!"

"HEY ROSCO!"

"ROSCO!"

Thus echoed down the stairs as Rosco went down to see what they were yelling about.

"Alright you Dukes, what's all the yellin' 'bout? Can't you see I'm tryin' to find my deputy?"

"Rosco, we know where Enos is."

"You do?"

"Yep- an' if y'all wanna see 'im, y'all better let us go."

"Well- Oh, wait, now I see what you're doin'! You're trying to trick me, ain' cha?"

"No, of course not Rosco." Bo said.

"Enos's at Tri-County" Luke said quietly. Rosco stared.

"That dipstick's at the hospital." He whispered.

"Our Uncle Jesse 's with 'im, an' he wants us to be there." Luke added. Bo nodded.

"Alright, if Enos wants y'all..." Rosco unlocked the cell door, quiet and ashen- faced.

"Thanks Rosco…" Bo said.

"Yeah, Thanks…"

"Y'all better ride with me…" Rosco muttered. Bo looked up at Luke.

"Now what?" He hissed.

"We go to Tri-County." Luke muttered back.

Rosco's head was still bent when he opened the back door to the patrol car and ushered the boys in. He then started the car and drove off for Tri-County.

88888888

"There y' go, honey, you got it!" Jamie Rae exclaimed as Daisy finished the alphabet. They had decided to start simple, with letters and numbers, before moving onto the more complex stuff. Daisy mastered the alphabet in her third try, and Uncle Jesse knew it as well. Enos was still working on a few of the letters, but he said he'd practice.

"Daisy, you're doin' a fine job!" Jamie Rae exclaimed again. Daisy grinned, but her eyes wandered to the door. Jesse knew what she was looking for. Bo and Luke still hadn't shown up yet.

"They'll be here soon, Daisy, don't worry."

_It's been a long time._ She told him.

"They'll be here, baby." She gave him an unconvinced look, and he kissed the top of her head.

_They'd better…_ She told him. Jesse laughed.

"Bo an Luke'll be here soon, Daisy, y'all know that." Enos said. "Now if y'all 'll 'sucse me, I gotta get back to the sheriff's." He rturned to leave, but daisy Kicked him with her good leg,

"What's the matter, Daisy?" he asked.

_Please Stay! Just until Bo and Luke get here._ She stared up at him.

"Alright, Daisy, Just a little longer."

_Thank you, Enos._

88888888

"'M lookin' fer Enos Strate…" Rosco muttered.

"He's up in room 308, along with Mr. Duke."

"Thank you." Rosco's head was still bent when he headed up the hall, Bo and Luke hanging back.

"Now what, cuz? When Rosco finds out that Enos's fine, he'll come dang tearin' after us- as usual." Bo began.

"Then we'll just hide. I'm kinda surprised that Enos'd still be here. Plus, now we c'n see Daisy."

"Good thinkin', cuz."

They kept a good distance behind Rosco, following him to Daisy's room. They hung behind the door while he went in.

"Enos-"

"Hi, Sheriff, I was just here vistin'-"

"ENOS, YOU DIPSTICK!" Bo and Luke snickered. "I thought you was- them dang Dukes! I'll get 'em, that's what 'ill do! You get better soon, Daisy."

"'Bye Daisy." Enos said.

"**ALRIGHT YOU DUKES!**" Rosco's voice got louder as he ran back to the doorway. Bo and Luke both hid as Rosco, trailed by Enos, tore down the hallway "after them". Luke signaled to Bo and they tiptoed into the room.

Daisy's eyes lit up the moment they came in. Jamie Rae got up.

"Y'all must be Bo and Luke. I'll leave y'all 'lone…" She left. Jesse looked over at his nephews.

"What in tarnation?" He asked.

"It's a long story." Luke replied. "Hey Daisy."

_Hey Luke._

"Why you usin' sign language Daisy?"

"Uh, boys, Daisy's-" Daisy tapped his arm.

_I'm mute, fellas._

"What?" Bo asked.

"Mute?" Luke asked.

"She's mute?" Bo asked

Daisy nodded.

_You don't have a problem, do you?_

"Of course not, Daisy." Luke said.

"What'd she say?" Bo whispered.

"If we had a problem with her bein' mute."

Bo shook his head. "Daisy, why'd y' think that?"

_Well…_ Uncle Jesse stopped her. 

"Why don't you show Bo some sign language, then we'll talk about this. The boys an' I still don't know what happened to y'all."

Daisy nodded, and began to sign the alphabet for Bo, Luke giving him a hand.

88888888

_I gotta go pack for the weekend… do me a favor and review… please, please, I beg of you! **Do it! Do it!**_


	5. Chapter 5

"Damn it Jeff."

"What' s'matter?" Jeff asked. He and Jimmie had sneaked down to one of the Boss's foreclosed fishing shacks, and were waiting until the Boss could pay them their thirty-five percent. They had gotten a measly eighteen bucks from the Hotel.

"Since we done hit that barmaid, the Boss ain' gonna pay us fer startin' that fight and damn trashing the place."

"That real perty filly?"

"A' course I mean her!"

"Maybe she didn't' make it…" Jeff paused, thinking. "I mean, I'd done grabbed her neck real bad, an' we both done heard her leg break, plus it got real cold that night… Maybe she died."

"Or maybe you're a jackass." Jimmie snapped.

"Maybe." Jimmie strained himself to NOT beat the living daylights out of Jeff. The barmaid, dyin'? All they'd done was break her leg, strangle her, and hit her with a chair until she was knocked out. Then Jeff tossed the table on her. She'd live. Which meant she could identify them.

"Oh, crap." He said aloud.

88888888

"Daisy, what happened?" Luke asked.

Daisy looked up at him, their blue eyes meeting. She looked down, trying to remember. She sighed, then motioned over to the pad of paper on the table behind him. Bo handed it to her along with a pen.

As she started writing, the boys and Uncle Jesse exchanged glances. A good minute passed, and Daisy was still writing. She finally put the pen down and handed the paper to Uncle Jesse.

Uncle Jesse's eyes widened as he read. When he finished, he gave Daisy a look of shock.

"Ya sure bout all this?" Daisy nodded. Bo reached over her and Uncle Jesse handed him the paper. The two cousins both read.

_I was working my usual shift, this was maybe an hour or two since Enos had left. Two fellers were laughing and joking all night, I didn't know who they were. 15 minutes to closing time, and they were the only two left. They hadn't had a whole lot of beer, so I didn't think they were that drunk. Jerry asked to leave early, and I told him that was fine. As soon as he left, one of the two guys came up and tried to pull the usual on me, and I told him no. The other one came up, and he tried again. I told him no and he grabbed me. The other one grabbed my leg and they tried to carry me out of there. I started kicking and he fell, only he landed on my leg, and I felt it snap. The guy got back up, and the one who held my waist let go. I got up and my leg hurt real bad. I tried to get over to the bar, but I got hit in the head with something, and I fell down again on my hand, one of the guys was hitting me with a chair. I rolled over and he was hitting me in the forehead. The other guy grabbed my neck. I was screaming and yelling, and then it went black._

_Next thing I know, Enos was there, and it was really cold, and the place was trashed._

Bo looked up.

"Daisy?" He asked, aghast. Luke's eyes were set on the wide gashes on Daisy's forehead. They were chair marks. Uncle Jesse gave her hand a squeeze.

"D'y'all remember what them feller's looked like?

_One was wearing a flannel jacket; the other was in a gray hooded sweatshirt. _

"Flannel Jacket?" Luke asked. "What colors?"

_Brown and red, looked real thick, too._

The image of a man in a brown and red flannel jacket running past the General, Johnny behind him, yelling, instantaneously came into Luke's head.

"Wha's goin' on, Luke?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"That's the same jacket that feller who robbed the Hazard Hotel was wearin'."

Bo's eyes grew wide in realization as well.

"Robbed the Hazzard hotel?" Uncle Jesse asked aloud. "Is that what Rosco's tryin' t' pin on y'all?"

"Yessir."

Daisy's eyes went from one cousin to the other. Robbed the Hazzard Hotel?

"Listen, boys, I think y'all better get outta here before Rosco decides to come back. See if y'all can find that feller. Us Dukes got a lot of questions to ask 'im."

Daisy shot a mournful look at her uncle.

"I'll be with ya, Daisy, don' worry. Better to have them at the house rather than in jail."

88888888

"Rosco!" Boss yelled.

"Right here, Boss."

"Rosco, please tell me you've got them Duke boys locked up."

"Well, I did." Rosco said proudly.

Boss shot him a look.

"Did?"

"Yep. But they damn tricked me into lettin' 'em out to go to Tri- County, an' I lost 'em there."

"Tri- County?" Boss asked. "What's at Tri- County?"

"Daisy. Looks like she got beat real bad." Boss's face instantly paled.

"Found Enos, though. He was there with 'er,"

Boss remained silent.

"Uh, Boss?" Rosco asked.

"Boss? Maybe y'all need to get some hot coffee. It's freezin' in here, and you're lookin' pale."

"Mr. Hogg?" Enos walked in.

"What's the matter Enos?" Rosco asked.

"The Boar's nest is a mess, Mr. Hogg." Boss glared over at him.

"When did ya'll go over to the Boar's Nest?"

Couple hours ago. Uncle Jesse Duke asked me to go over there 'cuz Daisy was missin'. I found her there un'erneath a table. She was beat real bad, Mr. Hogg."

"How bad, Enos?"

"Well, her leg's broken, she got a concussion and one real bad black eye. Doc Peticortt said that she's mute…"

"Mute?" Boss asked.

"Yep, she can' talk, so one of the nurses done taught 'er sign language. Taught me too. See? A.." He began to show Boss the alphabet.

"Enos, you dipstick!" Rosco yelled. "Boss doesn't need to know how to make letters with his hands. Now get over to Tri- County and arrest them Duke boys!"

"What for, Sherriff?"

"Robbin' the Hazzard Hotel this mornin'."

"Sheriff, they was lookin for Daisy this mornin'."

"And robbed the hotel. Now go get 'em!"

"Yessir."

88888888

_Thanks for waiting, I been bad... but I will make it better! 1 more chapter tommorww, and i'll do 3 to make up for Labor Day. I promise, over my prized collection of Terri Clark CD's... --Wildthing_


	6. Chapter 6

"Uncle Jesse?" Both Jesse and Daisy stared at the door as Enos came in. The deputy took off his hat and closed the door.

"Well, hello, Enos." Jesse said. Daisy waved.

"Uh, Uncle Jesse, I'm here to find Bo an' Luke, Sheriff Rosco's done ordered me t' 'rrest 'em. Seem they done robbed the Hazzard Hotel. They wouldn't be here, would they?"

"Nope, sorry Enos, they ain'."

"Y'all don't know where they'd be?"

"Enos, sit down." Jesse ordered. Enos gently sat at the foot of Daisy's bed.

"Yes sir?"

"Enos, do you think my boys would rob Johnny at the hotel?"

"No I don't sir," Enos, began, shaking his head, " But we got witnesses, Sheriff Rosco said that Luke got in the General Lee an' done peeled off from the hotel after some man who ran in the bushed 'hind the courthouse. An' Sheriff Rosco done caught Bo and Luke behind the courthouse."

"So you got one witness. But do you seriously, genuinely think that Bo and Luke would rob the Hazzard Hotel when Daisy's in the hospital?"

"No sir, they wouldn't rob it nohow."

Dais watched her uncle work his magic with Enos. Uncle Jesse was a master of the shuck' n' jive; there were only two people in Hazzard who couldn't be persuaded- Boss and Rosco.

"Now Enos, why don'cha read this." He handed Enos Daisy's account of what had happened.

Enos's eyebrows rose as he read. When he finished. he put the paper down and gently took Daisy's bandaged hand.

"M' sorry Daisy." He whispered. She smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze.

_Had nothing to do with you, Enos._

"Could've stayed longer."

_You'd be in the bed next door. Besides, you had your job to do._

"Enos." Enos turned to Uncle Jesse. "Luke said that he saw a man run out of the Hazzard Hotel this mornin, in a brown an' red flannel jacket and a mask."

"That's what Johnny said the feller who came in was wearin'.

_And one of the two guys who came after me was wearing a brown and red flannel jacket,_ Daisy added.

Eno's eyes grew wide.

"Really?"

Daisy nodded.

"So my boys were framed." Uncle Jesse began. "You gonna go after Bo an' Luke or them two who robbed the hotel?"

Enos' s eyes met Daisy's.

"I'll get that feller for y'all, Daisy. Promise."

88888888

"Whooooooo-eeeeeee!" Cooter yelled as he, Bo, and Luke entered the Boar's nest. "Looks like a tornado came in through here."

"Whoever then to feller were, thy sure didn't want to leave anything standin'." Luke said. He and Bo had caught a ride from Tri- County to the Boar's Nest from Cooter.

"What d' ya wanna look for, Luke?" Bo asked.

"Anything them fellers might a dropped." Bo and Cooter nodded, and the trio began to investigate. Luke checked one corner and found nothing.

"Hey Luke?" Luke turned to Bo, who was pointing at an overturned table, one of the piles had been tossed around. Luke walked over and stared.

"That's probably where Enos found Daisy." Bo nodded, and picked up a tablecloth.

One corner was stained with blood.

Bo stared then threw it in the corner, clenching his fists. Daisy had done nothing wrong. He willed himself to calm down, and continued to search He moved another chair and found a beer-stained scrap of paper. He opened it up, only to realize it had been ripped.

_Big payof_

_Boar's N_

_No one ge_

_Bos_

"Luke?" Bo called him over.

Luke read the note, and shook his head.

"That's Boss' writing."

"You think he had something to do with it?"

Luke sighed. "Looks that way."

Cooter lifted up another table by the door to Boss's office.

A key was on the floor.

"Bingo…" He told himself. He picked it up, and tried it in Boss' office door.

It opened.

"Yo, Luke! Bo! Figure we might find somethin' in here?"

"Thinks so Coot. Here, take a look." He handed Cooter the note. Cooter stared at it.

"Looks to me like this just wasn't any fight."

The three men entered Boss's office, which was as neat as could be compared to the destruction in the Boar's Nest.

"What we lookin' for?"

"Well, the note said something about pay, like a payoff. We gotta find Boss's ledger."

Bo and Cooter nodded. Luke helped Bo try to find Boss' ledger while Cooter went through the papers on Boss's desk. He turned one over, and found it to be very- official- looking. He scanned the top of it.

**_STATE OF GEORIGA INSURANCE_**

"Hey y'all. I think I just found the payoff we was lookin' for."

Luke took the paper from him.

"Oh, Lord."

88888888

_Ok, ok, will do more after Labor Day… Take care y'all!_

_Wildthing_


End file.
